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Episode 6: Drudge: ‘He was keeping an eye on us’
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Episode 6: Drudge: ‘He was keeping an eye on us’

Chris Moody, the host of "Finding Matt Drudge," goes deep into the life of the powerful and reclusive media titan in an interview with Tom LoBianco of 24sight

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Few people in media have had as powerful or as consistent an impact in shaping the national discussion around politics as Matt Drudge, the longtime editor of the Drudge Report and famous recluse. A quarter century ago, he stormed the national scene breaking the news of then-president Bill Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky, he became the country’s “assignment editor” driving the news with his lo-fi site, and then he vanished.

For our sixth episode of the 24sight Pod, National politics reporter Tom LoBianco spoke with longtime journalist Chris Moody who set out to quite literally find Drudge and try to answer the question of why he disappeared and what made him sour on then-President Donald Trump and more. 

Moody’s podcast, “Finding Matt Drudge”, just finished an eight-episode run, distributed through iHeart Media – when you’re not listening to the 24sight pod, we highly recommend Moody’s examination of Drudge.

The series starts with Drudge’s combative relationship with longtime media giants – at once revering old school newsmen paying homage wearing a fedora, while also resenting the pedigreed journalists of the Washington Post, New York Times. Then carries through Drudge’s rise, as he smashed though gates and rose to power, often lording over those same institutions which used to dismiss him with his power to drive web traffic. 

Moody also discussed Drudge’s role in helping Trump win the Republican nomination and later breaking with him, as so many have over the years. 

“He was already against Trump before January 6, but I think he just got tired of him, just didn't think Trump was worth the squeeze – what you had to put up with to get the policy outcomes,” Moody said. “That's the big debate on the right anyway, ‘Is the juice worth the squeeze with Trump?’ And I think Drudge for either his own personal, policy, or professional reasons, decided, ‘No.’”

And Moody hints at the big reveal at the end of the “Finding Matt Drudge” pod – Drudge was keeping tabs on him the whole time. 

“Whenever I would write something. I'm a journalist, I write a lot for The Washington Post and other places, he'd link to my stories,” Moody said. “We did an interview with Megyn Kelly and he linked to our interview in the show. And so he was listening, he was keeping an eye on us.”

If you know anyone who’d be a great guest for the 24sight Pod, drop us a note! info@24sight.news 

And if you’re not already a paying subscriber, please consider upgrading your subscription – $5/month or $60/year helps keep us fed and out in the field reporting. (And to all of our paying subscribers, thank you! Your support is greatly appreciated. Look for more bonus content as we continue building out 24sight.)

Cheers, 

Pilar, Tom and Warren

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The 24sight Podcast
24sight News brings you the sharpest insights from the inside players in the race for the White House and the top issues of the day. If you'd like to be a guest or have recommendations, email pod@24sight.news.